VIA: The Force has topped Harry Potter as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” took in $57 million in opening Thursday-night preview shows in the U.S., setting its first box office record.“The Force Awakens” easily beat the previous Thursday-night preview record of $43.5 million by Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” set in July 2011.The first showings of the seventh Star Wars movie generated 47% of its U.S. preview grosses from 3D screenings, including $5.7 millions from 391 Imax screens, nearly doubling the previous record. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has also taken in $72.7 million from its first two days in 44 international markets.The seventh Star Wars movie — which generated hundreds of sold-out shows and thousands of fans showing up in costume — was so powerful that it grossed about 70 times the amount taken in Thursday night by previews of Universal’s Tina Fey-Amy Poehler comedy “Sisters,” which drew $769,000 at 2,220 theaters.The U.S. showings of Disney-Lucasfilm’s “The Force Awakens,” directed by J.J. Abrams, began at 7 p.m. following months of a massive marketing build-up by Disney. The cast includes Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o and Domhnall Gleeson along with original “Star Wars” stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.In a sign of sky-high anticipation, the seventh film in the iconic science-fiction franchise had set a record by selling more than $100 million worth of advance tickets domestically as of Tuesday — raising expectations that “The Force Awakens” will do more than $200 million worth of business on its opening weekend domestically. The current record for a launch weekend was set in June by Universal’s “Jurassic World” with $208.4 million, followed by 2012’s “The Avengers” at $207.4 million.Rival studios and industry analysts have asserted in recent days that “The Force Awakens” will open to $210 million or more domestically.Disney hasn’t offered a forecast but its marketing campaign has clearly tapped into an enormous pent-up demand for the return of Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and Han Solo, plus the new characters and story line. The movie is opening six years after Disney paid $4.06 billion for Lucasfilm.“The Force Awakens” is set 30 years after the events of 1983’s “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.” The film will be in a total of 4,134 North American locations on Friday — a record for a December opening.“The Force Awakens” also debuted in a dozen international markets on Wednesday with a total of $14.1 million at the international box office, then added $58.6 million on Thursday as it opened in 32 more territories and set single-day reocords in the U.K., Germany, Sweden and Norway.The film, which carries a production cost of at least $200 million, will open in most other markets Friday. It could eclipse the international opening weekend record of $316.1 million, set again by “Jurassic World.”“The Force Awakens” is the first Star Wars movie since Fox released George Lucas’ “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” a decade ago. “Sith” generated nearly $850 million in worldwide box office.Anticipation is so high that speculation has already emerged that “The Force Awakens” could set a new record for worldwide gross by passing “Avatar” at $2.78 billion.“Sisters” will likely pull in $13 million from 2,961 North American theaters this weekend as Universal offers counterprogramming for comedy fans. Fey and Poehler portray siblings throwing a blow-out bash in their childhood home with a production cost of $30 million.Fox is attempting to draw younger children this weekend with “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.” The fourth installment in the Alvin series should make $12 million from 3,653 locations.

Monday, December 14, 2015

VIA: Melissa McCarthy is one of the biggest names in comedy, starring in critical (St. Vincent) and commercial (Identity Thief, The Heat), and occasionally both (Bridesmaids, Spy), smashes. So, it’s always a little surprising to see “Mike & Molly NEW” on the channel guide. She deserves better than to be stuck — and by stuck, I mean she’s getting paid a lot of money to do something she enjoys — on a CBS sitcom produced by Chuck Lorre that isn’t Mom. (Mom is great.)Wish, granted, because according to McCarthy’s co-star, Rondi Reed, CBS quietly canceled Mike & Molly after six seasons. She broke the news on Facebook, writing, “Before you hear it elsewhere (and some already have), this is the final and sixth season of MIKE & MOLLY on CBS. It is also a shortened season (13 episodes) after the announced full renewal of 22 episodes back in March by the network. We are done taping as of January 27 2016.”The network has it’s reasons, and I will not get into a debate, discussion, or campaign to get them to change their minds. Other venues were explored by WB and Bonanza Productions (Chuck Lorre) after CBS announced their intentions, but did not turn up a future for our show. It is a fact and we have known for a few weeks.